Many older Australians are struggling with the increasing cost of essential items such as food, housing and utility bills. That is why the Government is providing financial support to help seniors with these price increases.
Supporting seniors
To assist older Australians with the cost of household bills, the Government has:
- increased the Utilities Allowance from $107.20 to $500 per year
- increased the Seniors Concession Allowance from $218 to $500 per year
- increased the Telephone Allowance from $88 to $132 per year for those with an Internet connection
- committed to paying the $500 Seniors Bonus again this year.
The Government also recognises that many seniors are concerned that their cost of living may rise faster than the consumer price index. To address this, the Government will guarantee that the Age Pension will increase in line with the higher of the consumer price index, increases in male total average weekly earnings or the living cost index for age pensioner households. These arrangements will ensure that the Age Pension keeps pace with increases in prices and improvements in community living standards.
The Government has increased payments to older Australians to help meet living cost
Helping seniors to meet rising costs
Don and Barbara are aged pensioners. They have worked hard all their lives and raised their now grown up kids.
Don is a member on the board of his bowling club, and Barbara volunteers at the local nursing home.
Don and Barbara are now well into retirement and are finding it tougher to get by, especially because the cost of their everyday food has gone up.
Don and Barbara will receive a $500 Utilities Allowance in 2008-09. They will use this to help pay their electricity and water bills.
To help with his board duties, Don decided to get the Internet on his home computer; as such he will receive a $132 Telephone Allowance.
Don and Barbara will also each get a $500 Seniors Bonus in June 2008. They are planning to use this $1,000 to visit their new grandchild interstate.